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Solomon's Key
|system3JP = |system3EU = |system3AU = |system4 = Virtual Console (3DS) |system4NA = |system4JP = |system4EU = |system4AU = |system5 = Virtual Console (Wii U) |system5NA = |system5JP = |system5EU = |system5AU = |rating = x |ESRB = E |PEGI = 3 |CERO = A |USK = 0 |ACB = G |Fix = a }} Solomon's Key is a puzzle game developed by Tecmo in 1986 for arcade release on custom hardware based on the Z80 chipset. It is better known as a 1987 port to the Nintendo Entertainment System, although it also appeared on many other game systems of the time; for example, a Famicom Disk System port was released in Japan on January 25, 1991. The NES version was also released via the Wii Virtual Console on the launch date of the Wii, November 19, 2006. The arcade version was released on the Virtual Console in Japan on August 18, 2009, in the PAL regions on September 11, 2009 and in North America on November 30, 2009. Gameplay The following is taken from the Wikipedia article for the game. The player Dana must overcome unlimited enemy spawning, challenging level designs, a countdown timer, instant death from any physical contact with enemies, and limited ways to dispatch enemies. Dana is sent to retrieve Solomon's Key to restore the world to light from demons that were accidentally released. The object of the game is to advance through the 50 rooms of "Constellation Space" by acquiring a key to the door that leads to the next room before a timer runs out. The game incorporates elements of the platform shooter genre. Dana can run, jump, create or destroy orange blocks adjacent to him as well as create fireballs to destroy demons. The orange blocks can also be destroyed by hitting them with the character's head twice. Along the way Dana can acquire items to upgrade his firepower and extra lives as well as items that award bonus points and unlock hidden rooms. With certain items, Dana must make, then break blocks (sometimes in a certain manner) to make these appear. In the NES version, a "GDV" (Game Deviation Value) score also appears at the game-over screen. The score uses a weighted composite of several factors (like levels completed, items found, time and points) which gives the player a good idea of how well the last game was played. The higher the GDV, the better the game. Solomon's Key has many hidden items and secret levels that are hard to find which enhances the reward for playing. The ending slightly changes depending on which secret levels, if any, the player finds and completes. Levels The following is taken from the Wikipedia article for the game. There are 64 levels in total, of which 15 are secret and one is the final level. The main 48 levels are divided into groups of 4 with one group for each of the 12 Zodiac constellation (in order, Aries, Taurus. Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces). The final level is called Solomon's room. Each constellation has a secret bonus room which can only be accessed by finding a seal for the constellation in the last room of the group. The other three levels are Page of Time, Page of Space and the Princess Room, which occur only if the player has acquired the hidden Seals of Solomon. Ports/Remakes *In 1988, a port of Solomon's Key was made for the Master System in Japan. *In 1990, Pack-In-Video converted the game on the PC Engine under the title Zipang. *The NES version of the game was released for the Wii Virtual Console on November 19, 2006 in North America and on December 15, 2006 in the PAL regions. It was also released on the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U Virtual Console. Since then, it has been released as part of the Nintendo Switch Online: Nintendo Entertainment System games. A 'reverse engineered' port from the Atari ST version was released for the Commodore Amiga in 2013. *"Solomon's Club" is a remake of the game for the Game Boy. Trivia *A hard-to-find sequel for the game was made entitled Fire 'n Ice in North America. External links *''Solomon's Key'' at Virtual Console Reviews Category:Koei Tecmo games Category:Nintendo Entertainment System games Category:Virtual Console games (Wii, Arcade) Category:1986 video games Category:1987 video games Category:2006 video games Category:Famicom Disk System games Category:1990 video games Category:1991 video games Category:Nintendo Switch Online games